What Is A Swaddle Bath And How to Give One?

From the first word to the first smile, a baby’s milestone is exciting for the new parents. And so is a baby’s first bath. Although bathing a newborn is one of the most precious joys of becoming a new parent, it can be a bit challenging and stressful at times.

Newborns need to be bathed once a week. Bathing them daily can cause skin irritation and dryness.

While some of the newborns love being in their baby bath tubs, others find the whole experience uncomfortable and become cranky. Thanks to a new technique of giving a bath to the newborn that promises to give newborns a calmer bathing experience.

Yes, we are talking about swaddle bathing. It is gaining popularity as a new way to give your newborn their first bath. Swaddle bathing replaces the typical sponge bath that is given to babies in the hospital after 24 hours. Read on to know everything about a swaddle bath.

What Is A Swaddle Bath?

A swaddle bath is a technique in which you loosely wrap a newborn in a swaddle blanket. After swaddling, you immerse the little one in a tub of warm water that does not go beyond their shoulders.

Each limb is then individually unwrapped, washed, and swaddled again one by one. You can wash the baby’s back and torso by gently massaging through the blanket to minimize disruption.

When Shall You Give Your Baby The First Bath?

It is often recommended by pediatricians to delay a baby’s first bath until they are a few days old. This is so because after birth, the infant is covered in vernix, a waxy substance on the skin that protects the baby from germs in the environment.

This delay also helps to maintain the body temperature and blood sugar, along with the skin-to-skin bonding time between mom and baby, preventing the infant’s skin from drying out.

Benefits of Swaddle Bathing

Swaddle immersion baths have several benefits for babies. Some of them are:

• Keeps the baby comfortable during bath: A swaddle bath keeps the child warm and comfortable during bath time and provides a more womb-like environment for the infant.

• Swaddle bath helps in the developmental needs of the baby: It also helps to stabilize the baby’s glucose levels, body temperatures, and energy levels.

• Swaddling a weeping baby may soothe them: A swaddle immersion bath can reduce stress in newborns. As a swaddle bath provides a warm and comfortable environment, it reduces crying.

How to Give A Swaddle Bath to Your Baby?

For giving the newborns a swaddle bath, you would need infant towels, swaddle blankets (wrapped around a baby’s underpants to keep it warm at sleep), diapers, infant body wash, damp cloth, and a water-resistant pad.

Follow the below instructions to give a swaddle bath to your baby:

1. Place the blanket out horizontally.
2. You can extend one side across the arms to surround the little one.
3. Fold up the remaining arm and use a clean washcloth to finish the swaddling. Begin by thoroughly cleansing the infant’s face with water. 
4. Wipe the inside of the eyes towards out, to avoid eye infections, 
5. Wipe the cheeks and ears with a clean towel.
6. Unwrap one arm, re-swaddle the infant, and re-pour warm water over the body, to keep it warm as you wash one of your little one’s hands. Unwrap the second arm and repeat. 
7. Unwrap each leg and wash it in warm water before wrapping it back again. You can repeat the technique until all of the baby’s legs are dry.
8. To wash the tummy, you can pull the bottom part down while covering his/ her arms and legs.
9. Wash their genital area with clean warm water and put away the wash towel.
10. You can replace the infant’s cover and continue washing the baby’s back by gently rolling the infant to side-lying position.
11. At last pour water over the baby’s head to conserve the heat.
12. Remove the baby from the tub while standing close to the tub with a dry, warm, drying blanket. Un-swaddle the baby from the wet towel and gently lift him / her out of the tub and into the warm, blanket placed on your chest. Pat dry and make sure the head is dry.

How long should you swaddle bath?

Swaddle bath should not take much time. Give your little one a swaddle bath that should last five to ten minutes to avoid a drop in the body temperature.

Following these instructions are a must for a swaddle bath. The little one might experience a few physical challenges due to incorrect swaddling. Incorrect swaddling can cause overheating as the baby would not be able to move freely. They might also face hip dysplasia (growth and development of the hips are hindered due to being locked up in an immovable state).

Congratulations to you as you have mastered the art of preparing for your baby’s first swaddle bath. You can stop swaddling when your baby tries to roll over. Some of the babies learn to do this between four to six months.